The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1887-05-26
WHOLE NO. 1863
who is in love with it.

unity OF this country under the origi-
nal compact, The present generation
has so decidedly settled that question
and that decision is so universally ac-
Quiesced in, that it would seem absurd
to speculate upon a possibility SO
remote as a renewal Of the disunion
feeling. Nevertheless, with the chan
ges which will come to us, with the
vast increase ofpopulation and wealth.
the shifting of the centers of trade, in
telhgence and influence, the acquisi-
ton OF territory and like causes, the
question will from time to time recur
and will have to be met. Other eau.
ses than slavery have more than once
threatened the Union and doubtless
will again New England once threat
ened 1t on account Of the purchase of
Louisiana. South Carolina also men.
aced 1t on account of the tariff. 1t is
quite probable that within fifty years
our exceptional progress will bring
more potent causes of quarrel than
either. The principal element of
weakness in so great a country will be
Its want OF homogeneity. In coun-
try more than three thousand miles
long and fifteen hundred wide. tbero
occurs every variety of soil and eli
mate these afford different produc.
tlons, these in turn develope different
industries, habits of life and modes of
thought The interests, feelings and
preJudlces OF people so far apart and
so differently situated must more or
less clash. Sectional jealousies must
needs come, to say nothing of race
feeling among population so various
Iy compounded. The centrifugal for
ces OF our system will be ALWAYS ON
the increase, whilst the centripetal
will either decrease naturally or be
strengthened by artificial devices.
And here lies the danger to our form
OF government. Political philoso-
pliers have well agreed as to the diff
hculty OF preserving democratic insti-
tutlons in a country of a large extent
OF territory. The fact of its giving
birth to so large and differing a class
OF interests creates the necessity of a
strong central power to repress and
keep in subordination all who threat
en- the public peace andnational uni
ty. They are of the opinion that real
treedom-that which makes the per-
sonal rights of the humblest citizen its
chief care-is the best preserved in
countries of small extent, and for
/, most obvious reasons. This was one
OF the controlling reasons which in
duced the men of 1887 to limit with
written words in the constitution the
grants of power to the general good,
and to reserve all power not therein
granted to the States or the people.
? This too is why the great statesmen
OF the land, especially of the South,
nave so contended for the reverred
rights Of the States, because thereby
, they were best maintaining the re.
: served rights Of the people also.
In my opinion there are only two
S ways to meet the disunion or centrilu-
= gal tendencies of the future-the one
) is by strengthening the hands of the
4 central government and giving it both
e the physical and the legal power to
e crush out all such attempts: and the
: other is to maintain intact the rights
7 and powers Of the States under the
Il original compact, and permit them to
d deal with the malcontent within their
+ own borders. If in this way the dan
l. gers OF imperialism or Capitalization
C be avoided, and we preserve the i'm
= mediate responsibility of the rulers to
s the ruled and secure all the direct
care OF the individual which the gov.
1t ernment of small countries afford, ]
q can see no reason why the Union oI
II our fathers should not be made prac
l. tically perpetual. The aggregate Fed
is eral power might grow indeinitely
% both in population and extent of do
+; minion, but it would be imperiun1 1,
to imperio; there would be no danger 0
te centralization if the powers Of tht
OF States kept pace with those of thu
r general government If the lin,
s. which marked the boundaries of tn,
Il two governments could be strictl,
y. maintained, the balance would bepre
m served no matter what extent OF terri
IN tory came under the broad banners O
ne freedom Although fought agains
u the Union in obedience to the call O
IS, my native State, | never was a disun
n ionist per Sc am therefore in q DC
he sition which enables me without in
or consistency to say to you, that it is
pit great mistake indeed to suppose tina
CHI the idea Of State rights necessarily ir
he wolves the idea of disunion. 1t is tru
re that Secession was based upon it, bu
IN that question has been settled foreve
ne by the results Of the war, and the onl
as remedy now remaining to any dissa
lal isiied American community is revolt
IN ton. Do not therefore ba afraid ,